Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds completed her return to the highest level of mountain biking with a win at the seventh round of the Mountain Bike World Cup in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, on Sunday. Rissveds had retired the season after winning the Olympic title, publicly discussing her mental health issues, and only returned to the sport this season.
The 4.8 kilometre course was the same one used for last year's world championships, with the altitude - 1500-plus metres - and rough, technical track taking it's toll in crashes and flat tires.
Rissveds bridged up after crashing in the first lap to a lead group of Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory), Anne Terpstra (Ghost Factory), Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Canyon Factory), Sina Frei (Ghost Factory) and Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro). Pendrel lost contact after a crash, and Frei was dropped first, followed by Ferrand Prevot and Neff. Rissveds and Terpstra rode together until the last lap, when the Swedish rider was able to gap her opponent early in the lap and ride into a 25 seconds lead. Ferrand Prevot took third, while Frei was fourth after Neff flatted, and Pendrel took the final podium spot.
"I have so much emotions after two years away," said Rissveds. "Two years ago I didn't want to be alive, so I just want to say that it is possible ... never give up. I was so nervous before the start because I was in the front row [after finishing third in the XCC on Friday], and I think that is why I crashed in the first lap. The circle is complete; two years ago I won this same World Cup. It's such a journey that I can't believe it."
Neff continues to lead the overall standings with one round remaining, 73 points ahead of Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM), with Ferrand Prevot bumping Terpstra out of third. Rissveds jumped all the way up to ninth from 20th.
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jenny Rissveds (Swe) | 1:21:09 |
| 2 | Anne Terpstra (Ned) | 0:00:25 |
| 3 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) | 0:01:19 |
| 4 | Sina Frei (Swi) | 0:02:03 |
| 5 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) | 0:02:12 |
| 6 | Rebecca McConnell (Aus) | 0:02:16 |
| 7 | Kate Courtney (USA) | 0:02:34 |
| 8 | Jolanda Neff (Swi) | 0:02:48 |
| 9 | Chloe Woodruff (USA) | 0:02:59 |
| 10 | Rocio Del Alba Garcia Martinez (Spa) | 0:04:00 |
| 11 | Anne Tauber (Ned) | 0:04:07 |
| 12 | Jitka Čábelická (Cze) | 0:04:46 |
| 13 | Annie Last (GBr) | 0:04:58 |
| 14 | Isla Short (GBr) | 0:05:00 |
| 15 | Candice Lill (RSA) | 0:05:01 |
| 16 | Githa Michiels (Bel) | 0:05:10 |
| 17 | Chiara Teocchi (Ita) | 0:05:23 |
| 18 | Janika Lõiv (Est) | 0:05:25 |
| 19 | Emily Batty (Can) | 0:05:37 |
| 20 | Tanja Žakelj (Slo) | 0:05:45 |
| 21 | Lea Davison (USA) | 0:05:51 |
| 22 | Sophie Von Berswordt (Ned) | 0:05:56 |
| 23 | Eva Lechner (Ita) | 0:06:29 |
| 24 | Alessandra Keller (Swi) | 0:06:49 |
| 25 | Linda Indergand (Swi) | 0:07:00 |
| 26 | Ramona Forchini (Swi) | 0:07:07 |
| 27 | Julie Bresset (Fra) | 0:07:47 |
| 28 | Katarzyna Solus-Miskowicz (Pol) | 0:07:50 |
| 29 | Cindy Montambault (Can) | 0:08:00 |
| 30 | Irina Kalentyeva (Rus) | 0:08:41 |
| 31 | Mariske Strauss (RSA) | 0:08:45 |
| 32 | Paula Gorycka (Pol) | 0:08:47 |
| 33 | Serena Calvetti (Ita) | 0:08:59 |
| 34 | Haley Smith (Can) | 0:09:09 |
| 35 | Lotte Koopmans (Ned) | 0:09:13 |
| 36 | Cherie Redecker (RSA) | 0:09:24 |
| 37 | Annemarie Worst (Ned) | 0:09:29 |
| 38 | Jennifer Jackson (Can) | 0:09:38 |
| 39 | Adelheid Morath (Ger) | 0:09:40 |
| 40 | Perrine Clauzel (Fra) | 0:09:54 |
| 41 | Elisabeth Osl (Aut) | 0:10:09 |
| 42 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) | 0:10:19 |
| 43 | Lucie Urruty (Fra) | 0:10:38 |
| 44 | Corina Gantenbein (Swi) | 0:10:57 |
| 45 | Aleksandra Podgorska (Pol) | 0:11:18 |
| 46 | Lena Gerault (Fra) | 0:11:42 |
| 47 | Sabrina Enaux (Fra) | 0:12:14 |
| 48 | Jovana Crnogorac (Srb) | 0:12:25 |
| 49 | Elisabeth Brandau (Ger) | 0:12:27 |
| 50 | Karla Štěpánová (Cze) | 0:12:32 |
| 51 | Chrystelle Baumann (Swi) | 0:13:37 |
| 52 | Emily Unterberger (Can) | |
| 53 | Nadja Heigl (Aut) | |
| 54 | Luciana Roland (Arg) | |
| 55 | Jaqueline Mourao (Bra) | |
| 56 | Faranak Partoazar (IRI) | |
| 57 | Alaina Casioppo (USA) | |
| 58 | Sara Öberg (Swe) | |
| 59 | Eliane Müggler (Swi) | |
| 60 | Sandra Walter (Can) | |
| 61 | Janina Wüst (Swi) | |
| 62 | Joana Monteiro (Por) | |
| 63 | Camille Devi (Fra) | |
| 64 | Amy-Jo Hansford (GBr) | |
| DNF | Malene Degn (Den) | |
| DNF | Annika Langvad (Den) | |
| DNF | Theresia Schwenk (Ger) | |
| DNF | Fairlee Frey (USA) | |
| DNS | Yana Belomoina (Ukr) |
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